- Calculate the perimeter of regular and non-regular polygons.
A perimeter is a path that surrounds an area.
The word perimeter comes from the Greek peri (around) and meter (measure).
This means that the perimeter is the measurement around a shape.
Perimeter can be thought of as the length of the outline of a shape. The word may be used either for the path or to describe its length.
To find the perimeter of a shape, you need to add up each segment that makes the border of the shape. For instance, in the diagram below, the length of each side of the rectangle is given:
The perimeter is the sum of all four _____________ of the rectangle, so it would be: 6 ft+4 ft+−−−− ft+−−−− ft=20 feet
The perimeter of a circle is called circumference.
1. Fill in the blank: To find the __________________ of a shape, add up all of its sides.
2. Describe perimeter in your own words: